It’s good to be back.
Back in 2021, I was recruited to join a startup by the name of On3. It was going to be the next big thing in high school recruiting and collegiate sports coverage. And it has ended up being that, and so much more.
I started off covering Clemson, which took me out of the state of Florida for the first time in my life. With On3 still in its early stages, however, there were changes being made, and the opportunity to be based in my hometown of Miami to give the company a South Florida presence was presented to me.
While it was difficult leaving the Clemson market to cover a new team in Alabama, the next three years allowed me to grow professionally in ways I could have never anticipated.
In early 2025, I deemed it best to take a break from my profession. My time in this field went back to the summer before my sophomore year at the University of Florida. This had been all I’d known for nearly a decade, and I cherished every moment of it.
But I wanted to now go on a journey of personal growth.
Florida had been my home for most of my life, but the state of Texas always called me. A die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan since 2007, I made multiple trips to see America’s Team over the years. Of course, each one – 2019 versus Minnesota and the 2024 playoffs versus Green Bay – ended in a loss.
Even so, I knew that I wanted to move to the Lone Star State not only for my personal growth, but to open up new career opportunities as well. And when a chance to start covering Texas A&M last September was on the table, I wasted little time making my decision.
I had opportunities elsewhere at that time. I had opportunities elsewhere with my previous employer. But I want to keep covering the Aggies.
Mike Elko is building something special at Texas A&M. You hear it in interviews with recruits, their parents, and players on the team. You see the results on the field from Year One to Year Two.
After covering Nick Saban’s Alabama, I’ve seen and heard what needs to be done to run a tight ship. That makes continuing to cover A&M a no-brainer decision. And to do that with On3 – where I landed my first full-time gig – excites me more than I can express in words.
I’m excited to provide you all with recruiting content from all different angles. Based in Dallas, I can see top prospects at any time, as well as cover major events – such as the OT7 7-on-7 and The Opening camp. I also get to travel to East Texas, the Houston area and, yes, College Station whenever I want to. You can expect that and a lot more from Aggie Yell’s recruiting coverage.
Let’s get this thing going!